


Benched

by yamyamyam



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Endgame Fix-It, I mean obviously he wouldn't have, M/M, Past Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers, Plural, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Really Steve?, Really? - Freeform, SO, Self-sacrificing Brooklyn Idiots, natch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2020-02-07 12:41:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18620836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yamyamyam/pseuds/yamyamyam
Summary: Bucky wasn't sure he'd still be here to have this conversation. But Steve actually listened to him for the first time ever. That's.. good, right?





	Benched

**Author's Note:**

> I was digging Endgame (minus the fat jokes :/) up until the end. REALLY STEVE? REALLY? So here's some brain yoga to wrap my head around him doing the thing. We'll just go LA LA LA LA LA about the part where he thought it was cool to erase Peggy's entire family, because my brain yoga is srsly not bendy enough to handle that. I do feel like these self-sacrificing idiots could have talked each other in to this stupidity, though. BOYS.

"Hey, cap." Bucky offers a half grin. Sam nods vaguely, still looking kind of concussed as he looks at the shield. "Mind if I..."

Sam blinks, then finally catches up. "Right! Right." He wanders back over to Bruce, drops the shield on his foot once on the way. "I meant to do that!" he calls back over his shoulder. Bucky upgrades to a full grin for a second, then turns back to the bench.

"So."

"So." Steve looks up, and he's older, so much older somehow. Bucky hadn't realized the serum would let that happen, would-- but he's still not sorry. If Steve is old now, well, Bucky's felt ancient for a long time too. They've both lived through more than ever felt possible, and yet here they are still.

"I'm still here."

"I kept my word, Buck."

"I wasn't sure if you would."

"I made a promise."

"Yeah, well. You promised not to do anything stupid when I shipped out, too, so don't look at me all offended like that."

"Hmph." Steve has apparently mastered his sass, a little, over his latest lifetime.

"But thanks."

"I didn't want to keep it. The thought of you..."

"Hey. Hey. I'm right here. And I'm good. Even though I was there." Bucky pauses. "I came so close to killing you on the helicarrier--"

"Buck."

"Let me finish! I came so close. It was stupid luck that you confused me enough to pull the next punch. And that was after meeting you a few times already. And before you knew everything they'd done to me. Be honest, would you have defended yourself properly if you came to get me in the forties? Because you didn't last time."

"I'm still sure I could--"

"Well I'm not. I remember what I was like, fresh out of--- I remember what I was like. And if I'd killed you and then realized what I'd done. I just. I wouldn't. I couldn't handle it. But I'd be trapped with it, forever."

"Buck--"

"Or if I'd killed you and _not_ remembered. And never remembered. That would be even worse." 

"Now are you finished?" Okay, maybe he hasn't mastered his sass _that_ much. 

Bucky narrows his eyes, but nods, face all kinds of wet. 

"I know. I listened to you for once." Bucky snorts helplessly. This is what he wanted to happen. It is. But some part of him never quite believed Steve would _actually_ exercise restraint. "So I didn't do it. But Bucky. It's been 80 years since I've laid eyes on you. Eighty years of having to sit back while... And I know I'm not exactly the guy I was when--"

"Steve. Like I..."

Steve is crushing him in a hug all of a sudden. He looks fragile as a snowflake but his super-strength is still all there. "...but it's my turn to be selfish now. And I'm not letting go of you ever again." 

They're both crying now and both doing their best to break the other's ribs. 

"So."

"So."

"You gonna take me home, or what?"

Steve sits back, cups Bucky's face in one gnarled, strong hand.

"You're here. I am home."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on [twitter](https://twitter.com/yamtimesthree), yellin' about Bucky usually.


End file.
